Sixers' D-League team opens camp

As a sophomore in high school, Delaware 87ers guard Aquille Carr turned down a $750,000 contract offer from Lottomatica Virtus Roma, the same Italian League team that had signed Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Jennings.

The Sevens' first pick in the NBA Development League draft, Norvel Pelle, said he could have played college basketball anywhere he wanted.

But ultimately, both players will begin their professional careers in Delaware playing for the 76ers' D-League affiliate.

"It was a hard decision," Pelle said. "My mother definitely wanted me to go to college and get my education, but at the same time I felt like I just needed to play basketball."

Carr and Pelle will join their new teammates Friday as the Sevens open training camp at Delaware Technical Community College.

On Wednesday, the team announced the hiring of coach Rod Baker, who most recently helped the Bakersfield Jam win a franchise-best 36 games last season as an assistant. During his 35-year coaching career, Baker has had stints at Rutgers and Seton Hall.

The coach said he planned to model his offensive approach on 76ers coach Brett Brown's run-and-gun style.

"I've watched just about every game the Sixers have played," Baker said Thursday during the 87ers media day. "There are going to be nights where we don't shoot the ball well. But we're going to make the opponent work. You're going to have to run to play with us."

Roster

No. Name Pos   Ht.   Wt.   DOB   School   

19 Athanasios Antetokounmpo F   6-7   215   7/17/92   Greece

4 Aquille Carr G   5-6   148   9/28/93   Princeton Day Academy

23 Justin Glover G   6-3   190   10/10/91   Winston-Salem State

33 Gerald "JR" Inman F-C   6-9   225   3/4/87   Rutgers

41 Reggie Johnson C   6-10   290   12/16/89   Miami (Fla.)

21 Edward Jones G   6-7   215   2/12/86   North Carolina A&T

6 Keon Lawrence G   6-2   171   10/1/87   Seton Hall

10 Nurideen Lindsey G   6-3   180   9/23/90   Rider

17 Darin Mency G   6-2   205   6/30/89   Merrimack

15 Norvel Pelle F   6-10   207   2/3/93   Los Angeles Prep

14 Dustin Salisbery G-F   6-5   205   10/19/84   Temple

18 Damian Saunders F   6-8   214   11/1/88   Duquesne

12 Mfon Udofia G   6-2   194   8/1/90   Georgia Tech

24 Steve Weingarten F   6-8   215   11/2/88   La Salle

32 Stefan Welsh G   6-4   188   11/17/87   Arkansas

22 Rodney Williams F   6-7   200   7/23/91   Minnesota